Written Answers Wednesday 6 October 2010

Scottish Executive

Digital Technology

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what written representations it has made to the UK Government since May 2010 on broadband services and whether it will publish them.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government has made the following written representations to the UK Government on broadband since May 2010:

  1. 24 June 2010 – Scottish position statement to the UK Government on broadband policy, arising from a Scottish stakeholder group meeting (comprising the main Scottish business and consumer organisations and the Enterprise Agencies), held on 10 May 2010 and chaired by me.

  2. 6 September 2010 – Scottish Government submission to the UK Government presenting a robust case for one of the UK Government’s forthcoming superfast broadband pilots to be located in Scotland.

  3. 15 September 2010 – Scottish Government response to the UK Government’s discussion paper "Broadband Deployment and Sharing Other Utilities’ Infrastructure".

  Documents 1 and 3 are available on the following website:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/BroadbandforScotland/SEBroadbandInitiatives/History/digital-britain.

  The non-confidential elements of document 2 will be published once the results of the UK Government’s superfast broadband market testing projects are known.

Digital Technology

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has met UK ministers since May 2010 on the subject of broadband services.

Jim Mather: A meeting between Scottish and UK ministers on broadband, once the results of the UK Government’s superfast broadband market testing projects have been announced, is currently being sought. The last meeting between Scottish ministers and UK ministers on the subject of broadband services was on 22 February 2010 when the I met with Stephen Timms MP, the then UK Minister for Digital Britain.

Digital Technology

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it made to UK Government (a) before and (b) following the announcement it made of a delay in the roll-out of universal service obligation (USO) broadband speeds.

Jim Mather: Before the UK Government’s announcement on 15 July 2010 of the delay to its target for rollout of the universal service commitment for broadband, the Scottish Government has this year made the following representations to the UK Government on broadband:

  1. 4 February 2010 – Scottish Government response to the UK Government’s Consultation "Implementing a Landline Duty: Consultation on Draft Legislation and Impacts".

  2. 4 February 2010 – Scottish Government response to the UK Government’s Consultation "Consultation on a Direction to Ofcom to Implement the Wireless Radio Spectrum Modernisation Programme".

  3. 26 February 2010 – Letter from the Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism to Stephen Timms MP, then UK Minister for Digital Britain, following their meeting on 22 February 2010.

  4. 24 June 2010 – Scottish position statement to the UK Government on broadband policy, arising from a Scottish stakeholder group meeting (comprising the main Scottish business and consumer organisations and the Enterprise Agencies), held on 10 May 2010 and chaired by the Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism.

  Following the UK Government’s announcement on 15 July 2010 of the delay to its target for roll-out of the universal service commitment for broadband, the Scottish Government has made the following representations to the UK Government on broadband:

  5. 6 September 2010 – Scottish Government submission to the UK Government presenting a robust case for one of the UK Government’s forthcoming superfast broadband pilots to be located in Scotland.

  6. 15 September 2010 – Scottish Government response to the UK Government’s discussion paper "Broadband Deployment and Sharing Other Utilities’ Infrastructure".

Digital Technology

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it was given advance notice by the UK Government of the delay of targets for a roll-out of a universal broadband speed across the United Kingdom.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government was not given advance notice by the UK Government of the delay of its targets for a roll-out of a universal broadband speed across the United Kingdom.

Environment

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive at what sites it is planning to run carbon capture and storage demonstration projects.

Jim Mather: Four carbon capture and storage (CCS) demonstration projects will be supported by the CCS Levy under the Energy Act 2010, with potential co-financing from the European Union under the New Entrants Reserve competition.

  One of these four demonstration projects will be the UK CCS competition winner. The two remaining bids for funding from this competition are Scottish Power at Longannet and E.ON at Kingsnorth in Kent. The competition winner will be selected next year.

  Under the Energy Act 2010, the UK Government is required to consult Scottish ministers on wider programmes to support further CCS demonstration projects with the CCS Levy. The Scottish Government is working closely with the UK Government on this wider programme, including making representations that CCS should be demonstrated on a gas plant as well as on coal.

  Sites chosen for demonstration of CCS will be dependent on the projects which are successful in both the UK and EU competitive processes, and on projects securing the necessary permits to safely capture, transport and store carbon dioxide.

Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it became aware of the decision by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde not to allow access to specialist opinion and treatment to patients from NHS Ayrshire and Arran in the area of non-complex back surgery and lumbar spine degeneration.

Nicola Sturgeon: We were advised of this situation in June by both NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Ayrshire and Arran and are working with NHS Ayrshire and Arran to put in place alternative arrangements.

Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address difficulties experienced by patients in NHS Ayrshire and Arran who are awaiting treatment for non-complex back surgery and lumbar spine degeneration.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Access Support team within the Scottish Government are working closely with NHS Ayrshire and Arran to agree arrangements for the treatment of patients who are currently awaiting treatment and to ensure that demand for this service can be appropriately met in the future. I will write to the member when the course of action has been agreed, which I expect to be in the near future.

Homecoming Scotland

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it was given confirmation by the deputy leader of Edinburgh City Council that the remaining private sector obligations of The Gathering 2009 Ltd would be taken on by Destination Edinburgh Marketing Alliance.

Jim Mather: Confirmation to the Scottish Government that Destination Edinburgh Marketing Alliance (DEMA) was intending to buy The Gathering 2009 Ltd was given by the Director of Corporate Services at the City of Edinburgh Council to the Permanent Secretary on 14 October 2009. The news release issued by the Council on behalf of DEMA the following day confirmed this and stated that DEMA would be taking over The Gathering 2009 Ltd and would take on the company’s remaining private sector obligations.

Oil and Gas Industry

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has researched the risk exposure to the economy of an oil spill resulting from deepwater drilling.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government recognises the potential seriousness of any such incident in both environmental and economic terms. Because of such concerns the First Minister wrote to the Prime Minister suggesting that a major oil spill exercise be held as soon as possible in order to both identify and learn from the lessons arising. This exercise will now be held in the spring and the Scottish Government will be participating to its full extent.

  We continue to monitor the situation and welcome the setting up of the Oil Spill Prevention and Response Advisory Group (OSPRAG) and the UK Government’s moves to increase its inspection of drilling rigs and monitoring of offshore compliance through the recruitment of additional inspectors.

  The Scottish Government will host a seminar on the lessons that the UK can learn from oil spills at Victoria Quay on 5 October 2010. This event will bring together then UK Spill Association, the Emergency Planning Society, the UK Government and Scottish Government.

Oil and Gas Industry

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has researched the risk exposure to the economy of an EU or UK-wide moratorium being agreed on offshore drilling.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government has consistent data, collected by Oil and Gas UK, which estimate that 33,800 people are directly employed by the sector with 73% of those in Scotland. Clearly, this suggests that any moratorium could impact significantly in Scotland.

  The UK Energy and Climate Change Committee are conducting a short inquiry into UK deepwater drilling to find out about the safety and environmental regulations of oil and gas operations on the UK continental shelf and the potential positive and negative impacts of a moratorium on deepwater drilling. We will be monitoring the committee’s deliberations closely.

Pensions

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the core terms of the Scottish Enterprise final salary pension scheme by which Scottish Enterprise contributes 20% of employees’ pensionable salary and provides benefits at a normal retirement age of 60 for staff who joined prior to December 2006 compare with the Scottish Government’s scheme for its own employees.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Enterprise Pension and Life Assurance Scheme is a funded final salary pension scheme which was originally set up in 1951 as the Scottish Industrial Estates Limited Pension Scheme

  The following table provides a comparison between it and the schemes currently in operation in the Scottish Government.

  

 
 Scottish Enterprise


 Name of Scheme
 Scottish Enterprise Pension and Life Assurance Scheme


 Key Features
 A taxable pension based on final pensionable salary and pensionable service, plus a tax free lump sum equivalent to three times the annual pension

Provides benefits at a retirement age of 60 to members of staff who joined before 1 December 2006, and at 65 for members who joined after 1 December 2006.


 Scope of Scheme
 Open to all staff in Scottish Enterprise


 Employer Contributions
 


 All staff
 20%


 Salary up to £21,000
 -


 Salary from £21,001 to £43,000
 -


 Salary from £43,001 to £74,000
 -


 Salary of £74,001 and over
 -


 Employee contributions
 6%



  

 
 Scottish Government


 Name of Scheme
 Classic
 Classic Plus
 Premium
 Nuvos


 Key Features
 A taxable pension based on best salary in last three tax years divided by 80 and multiplied by reckonable service.

Plus a tax free lump sum of three times the annual pension
 A taxable pension based on best salary in last three tax years divided by 80 and multiplied by number of years service in the scheme before 1 October 2002 (classic) and divided by 60 for reckonable service in the scheme from 1 October 2002 (premium).

Plus a tax free lump sum relating to three times classic service.
 A taxable pension based on best salary in last three tax years divided by 60 and multiplied by number of years service.

No automatic lump sum. 
 A defined benefit pension scheme that provides a taxable pension based on pensionable earnings throughout career.


 Scope of Scheme
 Closed to new members in September 2002
 Closed to new members from October 2002
 Closed to new members from 30 July 2007.
 Open to new members


 Employer Contributions
 
 
 
 


 All staff
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Salary up to £21,000
 16.70%
 16.70%
 16.70%
 16.70%


 Salary from £21,001 to £43,000
 18.80%
 18.80%
 18.80%
 18.80%


 Salary from £43,001 to £74,000
 21.80%
 21.80%
 21.80%
 21.80%


 Salary of £74,001 and over
 24.30%
 24.30%
 24.30%
 24.30%


 Employee contributions
 1.5%
 3.5%
 3.5%
 3.5%

Renewable Energy

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has provided directly to support investment in (a) subsea cables, (b) grid capacity and (c) carbon capture and storage, in each year since 2005-06.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government does not provide funding to support investment in grid capacity. Investment in grid infrastructure is regulated by Ofgem, the UK energy regulator. Ofgem administer a price control regime to ensure electricity network operators can develop effective and efficient grid capacity, while protecting the interests of consumers.

  Scottish Government Funding to Support Investment in Sub-Sea Cables and Carbon Capture and Storage

  

 
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08
 2008-09
 2009-10


 Sub-Sea Cable Development
 
£18,561¹
£14,215²
 
£163,674³


 Carbon Capture and Storage
 
 
 
£75,0004
£75,0005



  Notes

  1. Pre-scoping study for the ISLES (Irish-Scottish Links on Energy Study) Project - feasibility study on development of an offshore interconnected electricity transmission network between Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland.

  2. Pre-scoping study on grid requirements to connect renewable energy off the coasts of northern Europe.

  3. ISLES study - Scottish Government is lead partner. 91% of expenditure to date will be recovered from EU INTERREG funding and project partner contributions (governments of Ireland and Northern Ireland).

  4. Contribution to "Opportunities for CO2 storage around Scotland" report (total cost £345,000).

  5. Contribution to Scottish Carbon Capture Transport and Storage Development Study in 2010 (total cost £290 000).